Letting Go
by IllStandByYou87
Summary: Sequel to Don't Let Me Go. Read and Review. Chapter 2 up.
1. Default Chapter

Hey people! It's me again, I really wanna thank u for the great reviews! I hope u like this one as much.

A quick little note, Cruz was 28 in 'Don't Let Me Go.' And also, there's a good chance this is A/U.

Whenever it's Italics, it's a thought since the little squiggly things don't show up.

Letting Go

Chapter 1

"Kaylee!" Cruz shouted.

Kaylee opened one eye and groaned. "Dammit." she muttered. She glanced at the clock next to her bed and smacked herself on the head. She heard her mother coming down the hall.

"Kaylee." Cruz said sternly.

She looked up and smiled innocently. "Hi."

"Do you know what time it is?"

Kaylee nodded sheepishly. It was 8:34am. She had to be in school by 8:45 and she had to take a shower and 2 buses.

"This is the second time this week..."

Kaylee opened her mouth to say something.

"...and it's Tuesday." Cruz finished. She couldn't help but smile thinking that she did the same thing when she was 13.

Kaylee jumped out of her bed and ran into the bathroom to take a shower. Cruz walked over to the bed and sat down on it, looking around the room.

She saw pictures of her and Kaylee, Kaylee with her best friend Sammie. There was a picture of Kaylee with Yokas's daughter, Emily who was her baby sitter for 3 years. Cruz saw posters, stuffed animals and candy. Cruz thought about her little girl, who wasn't that little anymore. It's been 5 ½ years since Cruz officially adopted Kaylee. July 16, 2004. Cruz glanced at the calendar on the wall. It was January 2010. Cruz and Kaylee moved to a 2 bedroom apartment two months after Cruz adopted her. Now that Kaylee was 13, Cruz was back to working the Third Watch. Cruz glanced at the clock, standing up. It was already 8:40. _Damn, I'm gonna haveta give Kaylee a ride again._ She walked into the bathroom.

"Kay, I'm gonna give you a ride, okay?"

"Yeah."

"Are you going to Sammie's today?"

Silence.

"Kaylee?"

"No. I'm gonna come home. Are you gonna be here?"

"I'm gonna be at the precinct. Come by, everyone misses you."

Kaylee smiled. "Sure."

"What you wanna do for dinner?"

"I don't care."

_We have great dinners. We've lived on pizza, diners, McDonalds, Wendy's. I can't believe either of us ain't fat. _"Hurry up. It's 8:45." Cruz walked out the door.

Cruz thought about how she treated her daughter. They were best friends most of the times. They went to the movies, they went shopping together, something Kaylee's told her none of her few friends and there mothers do. They have almost the same taste in clothing and stores. Cruz never layed a hand on Kaylee. Usually they didn't fight but when they did, Cruz was never bitchy. She left that to Kaylee. Of course someone who was as bitchy as she was has to let it out somehow. She's bitchy to some uniforms. Cruz went into the kitchen.

10 minutes later Kaylee came out of the bathroom in a towel and walked down the hall to the kitchen. "Hey Mom."

Cruz turned. "Kay, it's 8:55."

"I know, but if I'm gonna be late, I might as well be later than just 10 minutes." Kaylee explained.

_That makes sense to me, but not to a good mother_.

"I know that makes sense to you Mom." Kaylee teased.

Cruz sighed. "We're leaving at 9:10." _and there's no way in hell I'm gonna get back to sleep today_, she finished in her mind.

"Uh, Mom? Your not going out like that, right?"

Cruz was dressed in blue pajama pants with ducks on them, and a huge GAP sweatshirt. "You want me to wear a midriff and a mini skirt? I'm 33, I could get away with it."

Kaylee gave her a look. "Ma!" she whined. "Tell me you're kidding!"

Cruz gave her a mischievous look and winked. "We'll see." and she walked down the hall.

"It's January in New York!" Kaylee shouted and followed her mother. Instead of going all the way down to her mother's room, she went into her room. Looking at her closet she tried to figure out what to wear.

Cruz came up behind her. "Army pants and.." she glanced around the room at the clothes on the floor. "...Old Navy sweatshirt."

Kaylee considered this. Cruz watched the seriousness on her face.

"You're really a teenager aren't you? Listen to me, it's better to be different. I always was."

"And that's why you're a cop now." Kaylee snapped.

"Excuse me, but I'm a Sergeant." Cruz turned around and walked out.

Kaylee immediately felt guilty. She turned and went into her mother's room.

"Mommy?" she asked quietly.

Cruz looked back at her thru the mirror. "You ready?" She asked, slightly irritated.

"Almost." she said quietly and walked back to her room. She got ready in 3 minutes and walked back to Cruz's room.

"I'm ready." She announced, still somewhat quietly.

Cruz turned around and smiled. "New record." She teased. She looked at herself in the mirror. "Is this okay?" she asked, motioning to what she was wearing. She had on a pair of tight black flared jeans and a black long sleeve shirt tucked into the jeans, flattering her flat stomach.

Kaylee nodded and smiled. "Thanks." Kaylee had on tight blue flares, Nike's and a blue long sleeve shirt that said I'm the Latina your mother warned you about. Cruz looked at her daughter's outfit.

"I love that shirt." Cruz walked over to her daughter and put her arm around her shoulder, together they walked out of the room.

Kaylee stopped short.

"You have a test today, don't you?"

Kaylee nodded completely dazed. "Shit!" She cried. "How could I forget?" She started to pace the hallway.

Cruz was tempted to laugh, but she knew how much her daughter cared about her grades. Kaylee never got lower than a B.

"What subject?"

Kaylee paused. "Math." She made a face.

Cruz shrugged. "Sorry, me and math, we don't get along."

"Yeah I know." _Dammit. How could I forget?_

"When do you have math?"

"Um... 5th period."

Cruz looked confused. "What time?"

"Oh, um quarter to 12, why?"

"Will you be able to take a make up?"

"Why would I have to take a make up?"

"In case you don't go to school today." Cruz said slyly.

"Why wouldn..." Kaylee trailed off, looking at Cruz. "You'd keep me home so I could study!?"Kaylee squealed.

Cruz nodded. "I know how much your grades mean to you, and even though I don't know why, I get it. And I don't want you to mess up you're A- average just from one annoying test."

Kaylee smiled. "Thank you Mom."

"No problem baby." Cruz checked the clock. 9:08. "I gotta be to work at 3."

"Yeah, I know."

"Let's go in now, so you can say hi to everyone, then you go back home and study."

"I'll just go in with you at 2:30 and take the bus home."

Cruz agreed. "Arite."

Kaylee turned down the hall and went into her room, closing the door.

_I wonder if she's gonna call people and not study. There's definately something wrong with me. I let my kid stay home so she could study for a test. I guess I ain't a normal mother. _ Cruz walked into the living room, looking around. She saw a ton of pictures of Kaylee, her and Kaylee, and that one of Lettie and her when they went skiing. _I can't believe my little girl's 13 already._ She sat down on the couch, something nagging in her mind. She still hadn't talked to her about the rape. Either of them. She's always thought Kaylee was too young, but Cruz finally realized Kaylee was 13 and probably able to handle it. She sighed, not knowing how to bring it up. _How do you bring up something that happened so long ago? And something so..._ She searched her brain for a word. _sensitive._

Cruz hadn't had a boyfriend since she adopted Kaylee. Sure, she's gone out on dates, but nothing ever serious. All she wanted to do was concentrate on Kaylee and her job.

Kaylee sat on her bed, holding a teddy bear. She thought of how she was raised. She doesn't remember much of her real mother, only that she hurt her. She hurt her a lot. She thought of Cruz, and how she was brought up by her. When Kaylee first lived with Cruz, Cruz was unsure of how to do everything, but now, she's a pro. She even scares Kaylee. _Whoever said my mama should never have kids, was severely disturbed._ Kaylee looked around her room and saw a TV, VCR and computer. Smiling, she thought about when they hooked the computer up. Cruz being Cruz, she didn't bother to read the instruction manual, and neither did Kaylee. They were both extremely stubborn. Kaylee thought about Christmas and her birthday. Cruz always gave her plenty of presents, and she followed the lists. Cruz never lay a hand on her, well, that's not true. She hugged her all the time. But she never hit her. _I've been really lucky. Thank you for letting me live with the best mother on Earth_. She opened her math textbook and her notebook and went to work.

Cruz sat back on the couch, thinking about everything. From the first time she met Kaylee, til now. She thought about how good everyone was in the beginning. Sasha baby sat Kaylee, until she got the nerve up to call Emily Yokas. Emily turned out to be perfect for Kaylee . They got along well and Kaylee always listened to Em. When Kaylee turned 12, Cruz went back to working the Third Watch, and since Em was 21, she was able to watch Kaylee until she got home at night. Cruz thought about Kaylee's social life. She didn't really have many friends, except for Sammie Ramierez, and one or two other girls, that Kaylee hung out with. Cruz got along well with Kaylee's friends and they seemed to like her back. Sometimes Yokas would give Cruz mother advice, and sometimes Cruz would follow it. Sometimes, Yokas would share funny stories about Emily and Charlie and they got a good laugh. They weren't enemies anymore, but they weren't exactly what you would call friends either. Or at least not friends that would admit they were friends. Like Kaylee, Cruz was lacking in the friends department. She sometimes went out with Sasha, or Sasha came over and watched a movie with Cruz and Kaylee, but that was it.

Before she worked herself into depression, Cruz got up and went to check on Kaylee. She opened the door and saw her daughter lying on her bed, books open all around her, taking notes.

Kaylee looked up. "I'm studying", she told Cruz.

"I can see that." Cruz replied. "What are you learning?"

"Logic." Seeing her mother's face, she said, "It's really interesting., I'll explain it to you if ya want."

Cruz shook her head. "I'm sure you're a great teacher, but I have work to do."

Kaylee smiled. "You really hate math, don't you?"

Cruz nodded. "The only reason I passed in school, was 'cause my teachers didn't wanna have me again. So, thanks to them, I know nothing." She glanced at Kaylee, smiled and closed the door behind her. Cruz wandered around the apartment, going into her bedroom and changing back into her pajamas. Looking for something to do, she wandered her way back into the living room and grabbed a book, settling down with it on the couch.

A while later, Kaylee came out of her room. She plopped herself down on the couch and startled Cruz who looked up.

"Whatcha readin?"

Cruz turned over the cover of the book so Kaylee could read it.

"Burnt Offerings." Kaylee read off the cover. "What's that about?"

"It's a horror book. You wouldn't like it."

Kaylee made a face. "How do you know?" She tossed her head, making her long brown hair gently slap her mom in the face.

" 'cause you don't like horror books." Cruz replied matter of factly.

"People change." Kaylee said simply.

"People, but not you." Cruz closed the book. "You got scared from Wizard of Oz when the monkeys came out."

"I was 8." Kaylee defended herself.

"You hungry?" Cruz wanted to change the subject before Kaylee got too sensitive.

"Uh, Mom. It's almost 11."

"So? You can't eat after11?"

Kaylee sighed the famous teenager sigh. "Never mind." She reached for a spare pony tail holder on the coffee table and began to separate her hair into 3 sections to be braided.

Cruz watched with interest. "How do you braid that?"

"Like this." Within 4 minutes Kaylee was done braiding her unbelievably long head of hair.

"You should really cut it."

"Why? What would be the point of that? It's finally down to my butt."

Cruz shook her head and stretched. "Wanna call Sasha and see if she wants to go out to breakfast with us?"

"Sure." Kaylee reached for the phone and began to dial the number.

1 ring. 2 rings. 3 rings.

"Hello?" Sasha asked.

"Hey! It's me." Kaylee replied.

"What are you- aren't you supposed to be in school?" Sasha nagged.

"Yeah, but I have a math test I didn't study for so Mom let me stay home and study for it. Anyways, you wanna come out to breakfast with us?"

"Where you going?"

"I don't know."

"Ask your mom."

"You think she knows?" Kaylee smirked.

Sasha laughed. "True. I'll be over in 10." She hung up.

Kaylee hung up. "She'll be here in 10."

Cruz nodded. "You think I can take a shower in that time?"

Kaylee snorted. "No."

Cruz threw a pillow at Kaylee, playfully.

"Hey!" Kaylee protested. "You messed up my hair!"

Cruz smiled and got up from the couch. "I'm taking a shower. If I'm not out when she gets here..."

"Leave without you?" Kaylee finished.

"No. Wait for me." She walked down the hall to the bathroom and closed the door.

Intrigued by her mother saying she doesn't like horror books, Kaylee picked up Burnt Offerings. She began to read and was 20 pages into it when she heard the buzzer. She looked up and book in hand walked over to the intercom.

"Yeah?" she said, distracted by the book.

"It's me." Sasha told her.

Kaylee hit the enter button and settled herself back on the couch.

2 minutes later, she heard a knock. Grumbling to herself, she got up, book in hand and opened the door.

"Hey." Sasha greeted.

"Hi." She said not looking at Sasha.

Sasha came in and closed the door behind her. Kaylee went back to the couch. "Where's your mom?"

"Shower."

A couple of minutes later, Cruz opened the door and came down the hall, watching Kaylee and Sasha. She walked up slowly and shouted, "Hi!", scaring Kaylee and making Sasha laugh.

Kaylee put the book down.

"You like it?" Cruz asked.

Kaylee nodded. "I'm only 30 pages into it, but yeah so far."

"Let's go."

"Uh, Cruz." Sasha looked at Cruz. "Ain't your hair a little wet to be going out in 24 degree weather?"

"What are you, my mother?" Cruz asked, sarcastically. _ Damn her sometimes, I got my own kid to take care of, I don't need someone tellin me what to do!_

Sasha sighed and stood. "Fine, don't blame me if you get pneumonia." She muttered.

Kaylee couldn't help but grin. _No one tells my mama what to do,_ She thought proudly.

All 3 of them went to the door.

"Kay, you have your keys?"

Kaylee nodded and showed them to her. "Why? Where's yours?"

Cruz shook her little purse thing and the keys made a jingling noise. "I don't feel like getting them out."

Sasha sighed again.

Kaylee locked the door and they were on there way.

TBC

Okay, people. I'm sorry that was boring, but I had to get the ppl reintroduced and all that crap. Newayz, the next chapter will be more interesting, I promise!!! and since Cruz is so human in this one, who knows? She may have let her daughter stay home to study. I know it's not realistic, but I needed it for the story.


	2. Chapter 2

Hi people! It's me again. I wanna thank you for the great reviews! Umm... let's see. Im gonna try and do something new (well new for me, I think most of you do this or have done it) If u guys ask questions in the reviews, I'm gonna answer them. And I see 2 questions so here we go.

Melissa1987- She kinda does, but she kinda doesn't, if I say it here, I'll give it away to all the other people, if u still wanna no, u can email me 

Shorty- Maybe, hehe, rubbing hands together and laughing evily lol

Before I forget:

Standard Disclaimer: I own nothing except Kaylee and whoever else you don't know. Don't sue! I have nothing, except for a hamster who I love w/ all my heart

Letting Go

Chapter 2

Kaylee, Cruz and Sasha went down the stairs and were out in the freezing cold January air.

"Wow. It's cold." Kaylee complained. She was only in the long sleeve shirt. "Mom, I'm gonna run upstairs and get my sweat shirt."

"I'm coming with you. I need my jacket." Cruz ran after her daughter.

Sasha shook her head. "Those two deserve each other." She muttered, but couldn't help but smiling.

5 minutes later, they came back down.

"What took you so long?" Sasha was shivering and her lips were blue,

Cruz and Kaylee glanced at each other. "I had to look for my sweat shirt," Kaylee explained.

"Yeah right." Sasha knew both of them too well.

Kaylee burst out laughing. "Ok, but it was my idea. I wanted to make you wait and Mom went along with it."

"Kay!" Cruz exclaimed. "Your not supposed to tell! Didn't I teach you anything?"

Kaylee rolled her eyes and started walking. Cruz followed.

"Maritza." Sasha pulled her back.

"What?" Sasha looked serious and Cruz wasn't in the mood for a lecture.

"You shouldn't be teaching her these things."

"Live a little, Sasha." Cruz glanced at Kaylee who stopped at the corner and waited. "Besides, it was her idea."

"But you're the mom. You shouldn't go along with it."

"What's wrong with having fun?"

"Fun is making me get pneumonia?"

"Well...." Cruz trailed off and out of the corner of her eye, saw Kaylee get a snowball together. Kaylee brought a finger up to her lips. Cruz nodded so slightly Sasha couldn't see it. Kaylee walked quietly over behind Sasha on an angle. She aimed and released the snow ball.

"Ow!" Sasha yelped. She turned her head around and saw Kaylee standing there innocently. She turned her body around and raised her eyebrows.

"She made me do it!" Kaylee pointed at Cruz.

Sasha whirled around to Cruz.

Cruz threw her arms up in the air. "I give up. Kaylee! Have u learned nothing?" She demanded.

Kaylee looked down, ashamed. "Okay, Sasha, I did it on my own." She ran next to her mother. "It was a good idea though, right?" She whispered.

Cruz leaned down next to her. "Duh." She grinned.

Kaylee smiled. "I'm hungry!" She shouted.

"Dammit, Kay, I think Queens heard you." She paused.

Sasha smiled.

"Let's go to the diner."

"How far?"

"Kaylee, we practically live there. You know how far it is."

"That diner?" Kaylee made a face. "We always go there."

"It's closer, only 4 blocks. I ain't paying for a cab for only 4 blocks. Now if you want, we could go to the diner that's 15 blocks away..." Cruz trailed off.

Kaylee looked at Cruz. "You would walk 15 blocks?" She snorted.

Cruz and Sasha exchanged a look and started walking.

"Mom! Mom! Sasha!" Kaylee called, standing in the same spot. "Mom?" _Aw, crap. I hate walking. I wish I was in school. No! No I don't. I'm with my mom and my, well I don't know what Sasha is, but we're having a girls day out, kinda. Not really, we're just going to breakfast. Maybe we'll go shopping! I need a new pair of sneakers._ Kaylee shook her head and looked up the street. She saw the back of Cruz and Sasha. She started running.

"Mom!" She called. "We're going to the one that's 4 blocks away right?"

Cruz nodded. "You really think I wanna walk 15 blocks? and Sasha? She's frozen."

Kaylee glanced at Sasha. She was giving her mom a dirty look.

"Yeah thanks to you." She muttered under her breath.

"What time is it?" Kaylee asked.

Cruz took her cell phone out. "11:11."

"Make a wish!"

_To be 13_, Sasha thought wishfully.

They walked the 4 blocks to the diner with Kaylee talking a mile a minute.

They walked inside and shook themselves off from the cold.

"Hey Kaylee." The waitress greeted them.

"Hey Joey! Where you been?"

"Vacation, come with me." Joey led the trio to there usual booth.

Cruz sat on one side with Sasha and Kaylee sat by herself.

"Me and Mom missed you. We got the bitchy one."

Sasha coughed.

Kaylee rolled her eyes at Sasha. "C'mon Sasha. Mom didn't even freak out. We've known Joey for 1000 years."

"How would that work?" Sasha asked.

"Mom!" Kaylee whined.

"Sasha, it's okay. We know Joey, Joey knows us. Get over it."

"Which bitchy one?" Joey tried to change the subject.

"Umm..." Kaylee looked at her mother.

"Paula?" Cruz suggested.

"Penelope?" Joey corrected.

"Yeah!" Cruz and Kaylee shouted at the same time.

Sasha did everything she could not to smack herself on the head.

Joey smiled. "Yeah, she's a bitch." She looked down at Cruz and Kaylee. "You even need menus?"

Kaylee shook her head. "Grilled cheese and apple juice."

Cruz stared at Kaylee. "You've gotten that every time we've been here since the first night I met you."

"I know."

Cruz kept staring at Kaylee. "Bacon sandwich and coffee." Without taking her eyes off Kaylee she handed Joey the menu.

"Are we having a staring contest?" Kaylee asked.

Sasha was looking at the two of them. She looked up at Joey and gave her an apologetic smile.

"Don't worry. I'm used to them." Joey whispered.

Sasha cleared her throat. "Um, same as Maritza." She handed over the menu.

Joey nodded and walked away.

Sasha started tapping her fingers on the table, loudly. After 5 minutes, they were still staring at each other.

"Maritza! Kaylee!" She said, impatiently.

Cruz blinked.

"Ha! I win!" Kaylee said gleefully. "Thanks Sasha."

Cruz gave Sasha an evil look. "I can't believe I lost to you." She groaned.

Joey came back with the food and placed it down.

"Joey, sit with us." Kaylee moved over.

She looked around the diner. It was empty except for 2 other customers. "Sure."

Cruz, Kaylee and Sasha began to eat.

"So Kaylee, how come you ain't in school?"

"Math test." She answered with her mouth full. She swallowed. "Mom decided to be cool and let me stay home to study. We're just out to breakfast then me and Mom are going home and I'm gonna study. Then, I'm gonna go in with Mom to work to see everyone again and then I'm gonna go home and study some more."

"You have the whole day planned?" Joey asked, amazed. _On my days off from school, I slept all day and had no plans. _

"Yup." Kaylee ate happily.

Cruz looked at her daughter and then at Joey. "How's the kids?" She asked.

"Good." Joey smiled and stood. "Well, I'm gonna get back to work, come back later you two." She called to them.

Cruz finished her bacon sandwich and looked at Sasha's plate. "You're barely half done?"

Sasha nodded. "I eat slow."

"Hurry up, Kay needs to study."

Kaylee stuck her tongue out at her mother.

Sasha sped up and was done within 5 minutes.

"Joey! Check." Cruz called. She saw Joey nod. "I want you to really study, Kay."

Kaylee rolled her eyes. "Have you just met me? I wanna pass school."

Sasha smiled. "Good girl."

Cruz glanced at Sasha. _That's my job. _

Joey walked over to them with the check. It was 13.24. Sasha paid the check and Cruz left a tip.

They got up and Cruz put her arm around her daughter to show Sasha she was her mother.

They walked back to Cruz's apartment quickly because it was freezing. They went in the lobby and Sasha said good bye. "I'll see you both later." She reminded them.

_Oh yay. _Cruz thought.

Sasha hugged Kaylee and left.

Cruz and Kaylee exchanged a look. They ran up the stairs as quickly as possible.

They waited at the door for awhile, waiting for each other to open the door.

"Don't you have keys?" Kaylee asked.

"Yeah. Don't you?"

"Yeah." Kaylee tapped her foot. Clearly she wasn't going to open the door anytime soon.

Cruz went into her purse and got them out. She unlocked the door and Kaylee ran in, grabbing _Burnt Offerings _and ran to her room. She closed the door.

Cruz walked in slowly, looking around. _I wonder how a stranger would see this place. _It was a happy room, light blue for Kaylee. A comfy couch was in the middle of the room, the TV across from it. The book shelves were behind the couch, with all of there books. Scattered everywhere were pictures. She went over to the couch and sat down. She turned on the TV. Since it was 11:45, nothing good was on. She flipped through the channels and sighed. She turned the TV off. _Aww crap. I have reports to do. _

Cruz got off the couch and went into her bedroom. On the way she passed Kaylee's room. She put her ear against the door. She heard nothing except Kaylee mumbling to herself. She opened the door slightly.

Kaylee looked up. "Hi Mom."

"Hi, baby." They looked at each other for awhile. "I'm gonna be in my room doing reports okay?"

"Sure."

Cruz started to close the door.

"Hey ma."

"Yeah?" Cruz opened the door and came into the room.

"I'm sorry bout before. Ya know, with saying that's why you're a cop."

Cruz waved her hand. "Don't worry. It's over." She smiled and walked over to Kaylee.

Kaylee moved over on her bed and gave Cruz room to sit.

Cruz sat and wrapped her arms around Kaylee.

Kaylee leaned back against her mother. "What do you think woulda happened to me if we never met?"

"I was wondering the same thing this morning."

"And?"

Cruz hesitated.

"Be honest."

"Honestly, I think Theresa would've beaten you to death eventually."

Kaylee looked up at her mother. "Thank you for saving me." She had a serious look in her eyes, something rare.

"I don't think I just saved you. I think I saved myself."

Kaylee looked confused.

"Did I ever told you the story about after Lettie died?"

"Lettie your sister?"

Cruz nodded.

"No."

"Arite, I'm gonna tell it to you now. After Lettie died, the only reason I lived was to find the asshole that sold her the drugs." She paused. "I told you the story with the house in Rockaway and the explosion?"

Kaylee rolled her eyes. "Only about 1000 times."

Cruz smiled. "So anyway after Lettie died, the only reason I lived was to find the asshole that sold her the drugs. I did everything I could and I hurt alotta people. I hurt the few people that were nice to me."

"What about your mom and dad?"

"They weren't there." Cruz said shortly. "Anyways, I was working with the FBI on this case with a writer. He was my informant and I gave him drugs. This is when I was working with Bosco a lot." _ I never told her that me and Bosco slept together. I don't think she needs to know. _ "I stole a notebook the writer had on me and Lettie. Bosco found it and thought I was a dirty cop. I didn't tell him I was working with the FBI for a couple weeks."

Kaylee sat there mesmerized at this story. _How could Mom never have told me this? It sounds important._ Kaylee snuggled against Cruz.

"So I found myself in a hotel room with Bosco and Faith pointing guns at me, then Faith shot me, so I shot her."

Kaylee gasped. "You shot Emily's mom?"

Cruz nodded. "She shot me first." _Like that makes it better. "_ Bosco tried to tell me he shot me, but I knew it was Faith. She shot me in the head and I was bleeding but I shot Faith and she wounded up being temporarily paralyzed. I think that I trusted Bosco to some point and when he pointed that gun at me, I felt so..."

"Pissed?"

"Well yeah. But also stupid. I never trusted or loved anyone but Lettie and the one person I trusted screwed me over. After that, I kept myself closed to everyone and never let anyone in. Although Sasha tried to manipulate her way in there." Cruz paused. "Then I met you and everything changed." She finished. _Dammit, I didn't tell her about the rape. I wonder if she remembers what happened to her. _Cruz sighed.

"Wow." Was all Kaylee could say.

"After I met you, I learned to love and trust. You were so innocent and naive that it was impossible not to."

Kaylee smiled and leaned against her mom again.

Cruz wrapped her arms over her daughter and hugged her. "Arite, start studying."

"I know, I know."

Cruz kissed her daughter on the cheek.

"Is it okay for me to ask one more question?"

"Yeah."

"How come you never had a boyfriend? or got married?"

Cruz shrugged. "I never met anyone I liked. I don't need anyone else in my life right now. I have you and Sasha, 'cause she ain't going anywhere, and Emily and Alex, and people at work."

"Okay. Just wondering." Kaylee groaned and went back to her studying.

Cruz watched her for a minute and closed the door, going down the hall to her room. She sat down at her desk and started doing reports.

Finally she was done. She looked at the digital clock. 1:15. Cruz yawned and stretched. She stood.

She walked down to Kaylee's room and knocked.

"Yeah?"

Cruz opened the door. Kaylee's notebook was closed and she was leaning against her pillow reading _Burnt Offerings. _ Cruz opened her mouth.

"I just spent the last hour studying. I'm taking a break."

Cruz closed her mouth. "Okay." She said simply. "So I was thinking we should leave at 2."

"Why?"

"It takes about 20 minutes to get there and everyone'll be there already, then you can go home and I can start my shift."

Kaylee nodded.

"If you wanna see Bosco, he won't get in til about 2:59."

Kaylee laughed. "Yeah, that's Bosco." Kaylee yawned. "I'm gonna take a nap, just for a half hour. Get me up 10 minutes before we leave?" Off the look on her mother's face she added, "I'll study all night after I get home. Oh, is Emily coming tonight?"

"Uh-huh." _How the hell am I supposed to remember to get her up? Oh yeah, the apartment'll be quiet. _She turned off the light, not that it did much good since the sun was shining and closed the door. She walked down the hall to the kitchen and made herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She went over to the bookshelf and grabbed a book, the went to the couch and put her plate down. She took the sandwich, curled up on the couch and opened the book.

"Get offa me! No!!!!!" Kaylee screamed.

Cruz jumped off the couch and ran down the hall. She opened Kaylee's door and saw she was still sleeping. Cruz ran over to her and tried to wake her up.

"Kay. Kay, baby, wake up!" Cruz yelled.

Kaylee opened one eye, saw that it was Cruz and opened the other eye. She sat up and started crying hysterically.

Cruz sat down on the bed and pulled Kaylee into her arms.

"Shh. It's okay. You're home, in your own bed." She soothed.

"It was so scarey Mama." Kaylee whimpered.

"You wanna tell me about it?"

Kaylee shook her head. "No." She said hoarsely.

Cruz looked at her and nodded. _It must be too soon, but that sounded very familiar...._

"That's the last time I'm taking a nap during the day." Kaylee shuddered and buried her head in her mother's lap.

Cruz stroked her hair and felt Kaylee relax. _I gotta talk to her. I can't do it now. _Cruz sighed in her brain. _Tonight, I'll do it tonight. No. I'm not getting home til 11:30. Tomorrow, tomorrow, _she promised herself and took a deep breath and hoped Kaylee didn't have anymore nightmares.

TBC

Hope ya liked it, and I hope it's getting interesting. Next chapter Kaylee and Cruz go to the precinct. If you have any ideas, tell me. Review please, no flames, but constructive criticism.


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